Improved reclining-chair



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.`

VILLIAM H. VAN NORTVICK, OF BORDENTOVVN, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND R. S. VAN RENSSELAER, OF SAME PLACE.

llVlPROVED RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

Specification forming part of Letiers Patent No. 36,130, dated August 5,1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, WILLIAM H. VAN NORT- WICK, of Bordentown, Burlingtoncounty, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in RecliningSeats or Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a chair with the front of the seat and thelower end of the back i so hinged to the legs or substitutes for thesamethat on lowering the seat the back will be lengthened and on raising theseat the back will be shortened, thereby rendering the chair comfortablewhen used as an ordinary seat and at the same time most convenient whenconverted into a reclining-couch.

My invention further consistsin combining the said back and seat withcertain arms and rods or their equivalents, whereby the movement of theback and that of the seat are rendered si mullaneous and dependent oneach other.

My invention also consists of a self-locking device, describedhereinafter, for retaining the seat and back in an elevated position.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, l will nowproceed to describe the manner of constructing and operating the same.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of'thisspecification, Figures l and 2 are side views of my improved recliningchair or seat, illustrating the different positions which the movingparts can be made to assume. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. l.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The permanent frame of my improved chair consists of the front legs, Aand A', and rear legs, B B', the several legs being properly securedtogether by longitudinal rails C, as well as by suitable transverserails.

The seat D of the chair is composed of a simple frame of wood or metal,to whichspring or other suitable cushions may be secured in the usualmanner, the seat being hinged near its front edge to the frontlegs, Aand A', in such a manner that it can be made to assume the horizontalposition shown in Fig. 1 or the in- @lined position illustrated in Fig.2.

The back E consists of a light properly padded frame, and is hinged atits lower end to plates a a, one of which is secured to each ofthe legsB or to each longitudinal rail C, or to both legs and rails.

F and F' are the arms of the chair, the rear end of each arm beinghinged to one side of the back E, and the front end being jointed f to abent arm, G, which is hinged by means of a pin, b, to the side of theseat. A rod, H, is hinged ath to each arm G, the lower end of each rodbeing jointed lo one of the rails C. I and l are guards, one of which issecured to each side of the seat D, the guards and seat combined servingto maintain the lever G, and consequently the arms Fand F', in theirproper lateral position.

To the inside of the front rail of the seat D is secured a bracket, K,to a pin, k, on which is hung a lever, L, and to the short arm of thelatter is jointed one end of a rod, M, the opposite end of which passesthrough and is guided by an opening in one side of the seat D, a similarrod, M', passing through a similar opening in the opposite side of theseat, and this rod being jointed to the same lever,L,at a point on theopposite side of the fulcrum ot' the said lever from that to which therod Mis jointed, so that on moving the lever in one direction the rods Mand M will be simultaneously projected outward, and on moving the leverin the opposite direction the rods Will be drawn inward. The two rodsare so arranged that their projecting ends serve as stops for retainingthe bent arm G G in the position shown in Fig. l. Aslong as the arms arethus held the seat with its superincumbentweight will be supported infront by the front legs, A and A', and at the rear by the two rods H andrails C. The back E must also remain fixed in the position illustratedin Fig. l as long as the arms G are held by the rods M and M'. Themomentthe latter rods are drawn inward, however, thereby releasing thearms G, the seat D and back E are at liberty to be moved to the inclinedposition shown in Fig. 2, and this simultaneously, owing to the peculiarary rangement of the arms G and rods H and thev manner in which they areconnected to the back and seat, for on moving the back E from a verticalto an inclined position (the fulcrum of the arms G being on the pins h)the bent portions of the arms will be raised and the .straight portionsWill be lowered, thereby depressing the rear of the seat. In likemanner, if the seat is movedfrom a horizontal to an inclined position,the straightvportions of the arms willbe depressed, the bent portionselevated, and through the arms F will move the back E to an inclinedposition.

It should be understood that a spring, N, tends to maintain the ends ofthe rods M and M projected outward from the sides of the seat, and thatthe extreme ends of the rods are beveled, so that on elevating the backand seat from an inclined position the beveled edges of the arms G willstrike the beveled edges of i the rods and' force the latter back untilthe arms G have been moved past the ends of the rods,when the latter,through the spring N,will be projected outward, and serve to maintainthe chair in the position shown in Fig. l, as,

described above.

The above-described chair, although generally useful as an articleofffurniture for reclining purposes, and especially for invalids, hasbeen especially designed for sleeping-cars.

Many plans of reclining-seats have been proposed and to some extentadopted for this purpose; but all have been more or less objection`able, for the reason that the seats, although Well adapted for recliningpurposes, were inconvenient When required to be used as ordinary seats,or they might be convenient enough `for day use, but uncomfortable whenconverted g into recliningcouches.

, port for the head. y

Vhen my improved chair is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the top ofthe back is at a proper height frornthc seat D for a passenger whodesires to maintain a sitting position.

When the chair is brought to the position shown by Fig. 2, however, theback is elongated by the depression of the rear of the seat and presentssuficient length to afford a proper rest'for the head and shoulders ofthe passengers. At the same time the relative position of the back andseat is such that the body of the passenger will assume the mostcomfortable position.

A board may be applied to the seat D, so as to afford a rest for thefeet of areclining passenger, the board to be raised by any suitabledevices simultaneously With the lowering of. the seat, or operated andadjusted by independent mechanism.

The readiness with which the chair may be adjusted from the positionrequired for an ordinary seat to that desired for reclining purposeswill be apparent.

The simple movement of the lever L will cause the back and seat toassume the desired inclined position Aat once, while the simple vraisingof the back and the selflocking device Vabove described are all that isnecessary for the chair to be brought to and retained in a properposition for forming an ordinary seat. I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patentl. So hinging the front of the seatand the lower end of the back to the legs or to any substitutes for thesame that on lowering the scat the back will be lengthened and onraising the seat the back will be shortened, as set forth.

2. In combination with the b ack and seat hinged to the legs or theirsubstitutes, as set forth, the arms F and G and rods HH, or theirequivalents, whereby the movement ofthe back and that of the seat arerendered simultaneous and dependent on each other.

3. The self-locking device composed of the rods M and M', lever L, andspring N,or their equivalents, when applied to and combined with thehinged seat D and arms G, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

XVM. II. VAN NORIWVICK.

Witn esses:

HENRY HoWsoN, .THOMAS BENNETT.

